Ford Forums banner

Typhoon KO'd by Clutch

1 reading
25K views 145 replies 60 participants last post by  Aussie Falcon  
#1 ·
#4 ·
I remember reading that a BA when it was first released has a wrecked auto transmission after being driven by motoring journalists (cannot remember which magazine). The analysis by Ford was that the gear shifter was forced into gear without pressing the release button. Call me a conspiracy theorist...but I reckon there is a link between the 2 occurrences.
 
#5 ·
A big well done to the stooges at Motor. I hope they cop a lot of flack from readers about this. Knocking the car out of the comp because they don't know how to drive it is ridiculous!
 
#6 ·
That sucks so much, the Typhoon would have been a shoe-in for top three finish and the dumb bastards have screwed us!

But it's FPVs own fault, I thought rigorous testing meant driving the cars till failure which means driving them beyond their limits and knowing that no customer is going to fins that limit and if they do it will be blatantly obvious.
 
#8 ·
YOOT said:
That sucks so much, the Typhoon would have been a shoe-in for top three finish and the dumb bastards have screwed us!

But it's FPVs own fault, I thought rigorous testing meant driving the cars till failure which means driving them beyond their limits and knowing that no customer is going to fins that limit and if they do it will be blatantly obvious.
When you think about it, it's actually a little scarey. What else haven't they tested or over tested as they deem to be not in the normal operation of the car?? I agree that it isn't normal, but flat changing has been around since Jesus was a corporal.

Love your confession by the way, starting to feel better about myself as a V8 tosser!!
 
#9 ·
Well this was posted onto the Ford XR6 Tubro Forums...

From Mike Taylor Editor Motor Mag

well, not quite. I signed on so I could add something to this topic. I'm the editor-at-large of MOTOR and one of the PCOTY judges. I can categorically tell you that MOTOR did not flat shift the F6 Typhoon (either of them), FPV got its info all arse about - because they didn't call us. Still haven't, in fact. we called two people at Ford who we know get things done when there are things that need getting done - because we couldn't raise anybody at FPV.

one of them, Andrew Ellis, found and drove a replacement F6 from Melbourne to Albury on a Sunday to help his brand, the other, Eddie Sleiman, organised to flat bed the last dead one.

nobody at FPV, until this morning, called us. and yet this story appeared in the paper (nobody from which rang us, either).

all pretty disappointing, and indicated to us that either we weren't taken seriously, or the problem wasn't taken seriously.

the worst thing about it was that the car wasn't even fast - and felt little faster than a standard XR6T.

Michael Taylor
Editor-At-Large
MOTOR magazine
 
#11 ·
FINER9 said:
Well this was posted onto the Ford XR6 Tubro Forums...

From Mike Taylor Editor Motor Mag

well, not quite. I signed on so I could add something to this topic. I'm the editor-at-large of MOTOR and one of the PCOTY judges. I can categorically tell you that MOTOR did not flat shift the F6 Typhoon (either of them), FPV got its info all arse about - because they didn't call us. Still haven't, in fact. we called two people at Ford who we know get things done when there are things that need getting done - because we couldn't raise anybody at FPV.

one of them, Andrew Ellis, found and drove a replacement F6 from Melbourne to Albury on a Sunday to help his brand, the other, Eddie Sleiman, organised to flat bed the last dead one.

nobody at FPV, until this morning, called us. and yet this story appeared in the paper (nobody from which rang us, either).

all pretty disappointing, and indicated to us that either we weren't taken seriously, or the problem wasn't taken seriously.

the worst thing about it was that the car wasn't even fast - and felt little faster than a standard XR6T.

Michael Taylor
Editor-At-Large
MOTOR magazine
Pretty hard to argue with that. I hate to admit it, but I've tried getting info out of FPV on several occassions and it's like pulling teeth, and I own two of the things, so much for customer loyalty! I'm convinced there is only one phone there and one dodgy computer with an ever failing email system, and it's manned by the laziest bastard on earth.

Interesting to note the quick reference to performance. Seems to fly in the face of what the owners are saying.
 
#14 ·
Michael Taylor said:
the worst thing about it was that the car wasn't even fast - and felt little faster than a standard XR6T.
Nice little sly remark at the end. Just snuck it in for good measure.

Ok, so he provided an explanation...and yes I have heard it all before in regards to FPV...so I would like to know what on earth has actually happened to the cars!
 
#17 ·
RATT said:
Oh dear that is not good. PCOTY could have been a great one for the F6 had it finished high up.

Poor excuse from FPV though as this is not the first time AP Racing have supplied an inferior clutch. FPV should have stayed on top of it.
You will all note that the car Wheels put up against the Mk11 GT and the HSV also had a clutch failure and had to be replaced. If I had have known this was going to become an issue I would have stayed 1000 miles away. Same diff whinesetc etc etc which they have had nearly 3 years to sort out. FPV were also aware of this clutch problem and still handed over a car for these track track hoons to test and they reckon there was no flat changing. :angel:
If a clutch lets go it lets go and it is absurd to think FPV wern't aware that people who buy these cars don't do it to go shopping in them. I don''t agree with the comments on performance in comparo to the standard T from the Motor Mag journo, thats just stupid and verges on gutter journalism :fly: . Having ranted so negatively I must also say that my car is fine, its flying, and the clutch feels great. :wnc:
When I rang the FPV hotline this morning to check this clutch thing out a little further and then 3 dealers in Perth, although Mr Flint has made comments in 2 newspaper articles, the dealerships and the Corolla driving telephonists at FPV NEW NOTHING ABOUT IT :wnc: .
If I was the CEO of a company such as FPV or Prodrive or FMC and this had happened after all the dramas with the GT engines and D/Line shunt and noisey diffs and then to TOTALLY EMBARRASS FPR with the pathetic performances in the touring car round up until the last race even, I would resign and if I didn't I would expect to be relieved of my command :AAHHH:
I hope this clutch issue hurts FPV and I hope it hurts Typhoon sales badly. Even though I now own one, I don't really care what it might be worth in a year or 2. I will take the Typhoon to APS next week and if it remains a good car after the treatment I will keep it. I am however cancelling my series 2 GT order and, wait for it, I Will Try The Dark Side Product instead (never ever thought I'd say that), but it seems to me that once Ford have got your dough they don't give a shit. A ship only ever goes where the captain takes it. I think FPVs rudder has broken :AAHHH:

AP (Another Problem) Racing Clutches. Fcuk you FPV :fly:
 
#19 ·
Hypnodoc said:
You will all note that the car Wheels put up against the Mk11 GT and the HSV also had a clutch failure and had to be replaced. If I had have known this was going to become an issue I would have stayed 1000 miles away. Same diff whinesetc etc etc which they have had nearly 3 years to sort out. FPV were also aware of this clutch problem and still handed over a car for these track track hoons to test and they reckon there was no flat changing. :angel:
If a clutch lets go it lets go and it is absurd to think FPV wern't aware that people who buy these cars don't do it to go shopping in them. I don''t agree with the comments on performance in comparo to the standard T from the Motor Mag journo, thats just stupid and verges on gutter journalism :fly: . Having ranted so negatively I must also say that my car is fine, its flying, and the clutch feels great. :wnc:
When I rang the FPV hotline this morning to check this clutch thing out a little further and then 3 dealers in Perth, although Mr Flint has made comments in 2 newspaper articles, the dealerships and the Corolla driving telephonists at FPV NEW NOTHING ABOUT IT :wnc: .
If I was the CEO of a company such as FPV or Prodrive or FMC and this had happened after all the dramas with the GT engines and D/Line shunt and noisey diffs and then to TOTALLY EMBARRASS FPR with the pathetic performances in the touring car round up until the last race even, I would resign and if I didn't I would expect to be relieved of my command :AAHHH:
I hope this clutch issue hurts FPV and I hope it hurts Typhoon sales badly. Even though I now own one, I don't really care what it might be worth in a year or 2. I will take the Typhoon to APS next week and if it remains a good car after the treatment I will keep it. I am however cancelling my series 2 GT order and, wait for it, I Will Try The Dark Side Product instead (never ever thought I'd say that), but it seems to me that once Ford have got your dough they don't give a shit. A ship only ever goes where the captain takes it. I think FPVs rudder has broken :AAHHH:

AP (Another Problem) Racing Clutches. Fcuk you FPV :fly:
Doc i wouldn't worry about it unless your car is affected by this.Those cars that were tested were test mules for various meetings and since the F6 has so much more grunt than the rest of the Herd this will happen.Just hope you don't have any problems.Don't worry at least it doesn't burn 5 litres of oil every 1000 kays :angel:
 
#20 ·
Until I see one of these clutches in bits on my bench I will reserve final judgement. However, I do know that flat shifting will rarely hurt the clutch. I would be confidant that they were transbraking it on the line to get in on boost. This will fry the clutch in no time. It is a manual car. If you want to stall it up, buy an auto. Beyond that, buy Penthouse, not Wheels or Motor, at least then the wanking becomes an optional extra, not a std inclusion.
 
#22 ·
WBT56 said:
Beyond that, buy Penthouse, not Wheels or Motor, at least then the wanking becomes an optional extra, not a std inclusion.
:rofl2: Priceless! :bowd:
 
#23 ·
Well that just all totally sucks then, doesnt it?

I have to say Ive got serious doubts about forking out serious cash for one of these things if I cant flat change it. My poor clutch took a beating at Heathcote but it still survived. And we dont really know who is telling us what, do we? Do we believe Motor (or Wheels) or FPV??? And I agree, whos to say that was Michael Taylor anyway - I didnt think he was editor of Motor anymore anyway....

Well so far we STILL dont have any real times for the F6, do we? We have been fed shitty FPV times or crap times from Wheels with some rubbish about the track at Calder. And who knows if there will be any times to come out of PCOTY - looks to be not, given the supposed Michael Taylor comments....

What I think we need is an FF member to take their F6 out to a track and do it themselves, or have a good steerer do it.... I mean, this is the only way we are really going to know for sure. And I do know one other thing - I am definitely going to have to drive one myself to make up my mind what I want....

So much for this massive new clutch on the F6 - sounds like it wouldnt take the punishment of the clutch in the NA or XR6T.... one would think there was something wrong with that one... but twice????

Bah. Too much build up and hype over this car, and all for what??? I thought the F6 would cream most of the competition in PCOTY... seems I was wrong. Perhaps the XR6T is still the best buy.

Oh and how can we get the supposed Michael Taylor to post in here then? Id sure like to ask him a few questions.

:rant:
 
#24 ·
All i've got to say, is that Ford Durability testing knew of this issue - but i believe it was deemed outside normal driving habits or requirements for a street car. However the fix is still being made to prevent it happening again.

Why the fix didn't make it in the first place? who knows. Why would a motoring journo drive a car pretending to be a V8 Supercar? So who was driving when this happened? Bet it wasn't McConville.
 
#26 ·
FPVGT said:
Doc i wouldn't worry about it unless your car is affected by this.Those cars that were tested were test mules for various meetings and since the F6 has so much more grunt than the rest of the Herd this will happen.Just hope you don't have any problems.Don't worry at least it doesn't burn 5 litres of oil every 1000 kays :angel:
Yeah I know mate. But they have lost me whether my Typhoon turns out to be a lemon or not, this has killed any "Legend" status and probably stuffed any hope of decent resale. 3 years and they still can't get the bloody diffs right. Hang Flint from a tree :AAHHH: he steers the ship and hes steered it into the rocks. Just no where near good enough :fly: .